Disk Boot Failure, Insert System Disk, And Press Enter

Have you ever faced the error message -Disk Boot Failure, Insert System Disk and press enter. It prevents a computer from booting up. My friend's PC had this problem, and I fixed it.

This article explains the troubleshooting steps I did on my friend's Windows computer to fix the Disk Boot Failure.

Before jumping into the solution for Disk Boot Failure, Insert System Disk, And Press Enter error, we will check the reasons for this problem.

Let us check the reasons for showing the error Disk Boot Failure or Disk Boot Failure - Insert System Disk while booting a computer.

1. Faulty BIOS Settings and a wrong boot sequence

2. Damaged Hard Disk Drive(HDD) on your computer

3. Loose connections and Motherboard issues

4. Hardware and Software conflicts

5. A corrupted OS or Improper Disk partitions

We have covered the reasons that generate the error 'Disk Boot Failure, Insert System Disk, And Press Enter' while booting a computer. Let us check how to resolve it.

You can fix a Disk Boot Failure on your Windows computer by following the steps below.

1. Change the BIOS Boot Order

   A wrong BIOS order sequence is one of the reasons to get the error Disk Boot Failure - Insert System Disk while booting your computer.

   
   

   We can change the boot order from the BIOS settings.

   
   

   If the USB device or DVD drive has the booting priority over the Hard Disk Drive, change it in BIOS.

   The first step to fix the Disk Boot failure error is to access the BIOS and change the boot order.

   
   

   • Restart the computer

   • Press the key provided by your vendor to access BIOS before the appearance of the Windows logo on the screen. The possible keys are [Del] and [F2].

   • Click on Boot and select the boot option to set HDD as the first booting device. Press [F10] to save it before exit(or the key provided in BIOS to save the settings).

   • Reboot and check whether it works without the Disk Book Failure.

   
   

   By setting HDD as the first boot device, you can prevent most issues like Disk Boot Failure - Insert System Disk.

   
   
   

2. Disconnect the USB storage Drive and make sure the DVD Drive is Empty

   If you do not wish to keep the Hard disk as the priority device (boot order), follow this step.

   • Remove the pen drives connected to your computer.

   • Empty the DVD drive.

   • Restart your computer (Press the power or reboot button).

   
   

   If your computer boots properly, better change the boot order priority from BIOS.

   
   
   
   

3. Disconnect the Hard Disk from the Motherboard and Reconnect

   If the BIOS cannot read the SSD or HDD, you will see a 'Disk boot failure - insert system disk and press Enter' error.

   
   

   A loose connection can make your Hard Disk inaccessible.

   
   
   

   • Power off your computer and open the cabinet.

   • You need to disconnect the Hard Disk data cable and power chord from the motherboard and reconnect.

   • Reboot your computer and check for the issues.

   
   
   

4. Disconnect Peripheral Devices From the Motherboard and Connect Them Back

   • Power off your computer and open the computer case.

   • Disconnect all peripheral devices from the motherboard, including HDD, DVD R/W, RAM, etc.

   • Clean the dust and then reconnect all the devices with the motherboard. Make sure there is no loose connection.

   • Power on the computer and start it to check if you still receive the error Disk Boot Failure.

   
   
   

5. Reset Current BIOS Settings

   If the error Disk Boot Failure - Insert System Disk persists, reset the BIOS settings. To perform this task, I recommend you visit the link below.

   How to Reset BIOS?
   
   
   

6. Remove the Newly Added Hardware

   An incompatible hardware device on your computer can cause the error Disk Boot Failure. So, disconnect the recently added hardware and check for the issue.

   
   
   
   
   

7. Corrupted OS or Improper Partitions

   Some readers reported that they saw this error while upgrading to Windows 11 from older versions. A corrupted Windows 11 upgrade will cause the booting error and result in a Disk boot Failure error.

   Another reason for a 'Disk Boot Failure -Insert System Disk' error is improper partition.

   
   
   

8. A Failed Hard Disk Drive (HDD) or SSD

   If the Hard Disk on your Laptop is not working well, the Operating System will not load into RAM.
   

   A corrupted SSD Prevents the OS from Loading.

   
   

   It will generate the 'Disk Boot Failure, Insert System Disk, and press enter' error.

   Connect your HDD (or SSD) as a slave of another hard disk in a different PC. Check whether the new PC detects it. If not, it is time to purchase a new one.

   
   
   
   
   

9. Motherboard issues and the Disk Boot Failure

   Can a motherboard complaint cause a Disk Boot Failure? The answer is yes. If none of the above steps work, check the motherboard.

Yes, even Linux devices will show the DISK BOOT FAILURE, INSERT SYSTEM DISK, AND PRESS ENTER error.

One of our readers asked if this is a Windows-related problem. She was curious if a Linux Device gets the Disk Boot Failure error.

You may get this error message on your Linux PC too. It is the error message shown as part of the POST procedure before loading the Operating System.

If the BIOS (or CMOS) fails to detect the OS, the Disk Boot Failure error will display on Windows and Ubuntu PCs.